tipton



Nov. 20, 1928.

W. D. TIPTON 1 ROTARY VALVE Filed Dec. 11, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet .7 v e?,l

Nov. 20, 1928.

w. D. TIPTON ROTARY VALVE Filed Deo. l, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 s Nf/ Nov.20, 1928'.

W. D.. TEPTON ROTARY VALVE Filed Dec. 11, 1926 3 Sheets-sheet 3 l l lPatented Nov. 20, 19248.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM ID. TIPTON, OF TOWSON, MARYLAND.

ROTARY VALVE.

Application filed December 11, 1926.

The invention forming the subject matter of this application relates toan improved construction in rotary valves for internal combustionengines.

The object of this invention is to provide valves of this typeconstructed with the least number of parts which are easily assembledand provide means for automatically adjusting the valves to compensatefor wear and prevent leakage.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the detaileddescription proceeds.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of a two-cycle rotaryvalvedinternal combustion engine, with parts thereof broken away to disclosethe valve mechanism clearly;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section to an enlarged scale of a diaphragmconstruction forming the essential parts of the rotary valve disclosedherein;

Fig. 4 is a central vertical section through a cylinder and cooperatingrotary valve of a four-cycle internal combustion engine equipped withthis invention;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the valve used in the type of engineshown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one-halt1 0i' one of the valve elements;

Figure 6a is a fragmentary detail of the valve structure shown inFigures 4, 5, and 6.

Fig. 7 is a central transverse section of a modilied form o'li' theinvention;

' Fig. 8 is a central vertical section through a modiiied form of thetwo-cycle valve;

Fig. 9 is a central vertical section through the diaphragm supportingarms of another modification oi' the two-cycle valve;

Fig. 10 is a central vertical section through a modification of thetour-cycle valve; and

Fig. 11 another modification of the fourcycle valve.

As the invention disclosed herein resides primarily in the rotary valveconstruction, the details of the engine are not illustrated nordescribed herein. In Fig. 1 of the draw Serial No. 154,219.

ing the engine block 1, shown as provided with four cylinders 2; isbored lengthwise to form a cylindrical valve chamber 3 in which thevalves 4 are mounted to rotate. The valves 4 are properly spacedangularly relative to each other and are interloclred as by tongue andgroove connections to be rotated together by any suitable meansconnected operatively to the gear 6.

Each valve comprises a semi-cylindrical section 7 having diametricallyopposed rectangular' recesses 8 and 9 formed in its straight edges 10and 11, to coincide with similar recesses 12 and 13 formed in thestraight edges 14 and 15 of the other section 16. rlhe two sections 7and 16 when joined together, as shown in Fig. 2, fit snugly androtatably in the chamber 3 and are connected yieldingly to each other bythe diaphragm structure shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The section 7 has an aperture 17 formed in the center of itscylindricalV surface and an arm 18 has a shouldered end 19 screwthreadedinto said aperture 17 or is otherwise iXed to extend radially toward theaxis of the cylindrical valve 4 where it is spread out to iorm a planecircular seat 20 for a circular diaphragm 21.

The diaphragm 21 is punched out at its center to form an aperture 22`and is bent around this aperture to form a truste-conical seat orcounter-sink 23 for the head 24 oi a screw 25. The arm 18 is Vaxiallybored throughout its length and has the inner end of the bore 26screw-threaded to receive the corresponding screw threads of the screw25, which is also provided with a bore 27 coaxial with 'the bore 26.

rlhe diaphragm 21 is secured to the arm 18 at the center of the circularseat 20 by the screw only and is not otherwise secured to the seat 20.

An arm 28 similar in every respect to arm 18 is similarly secured to thevalve section 16 by having its shouldered end 29 iixed suitably in theaperture 17 and is spread out at its inner end to form the circular seat30 Jfor the diaphragm 31 similar in every respect to diaphragm 2() andsecured to thearm 2.8 by a '35 and 36 respectively.

`fiat parts 37 and 3S securely ltothe spacer The structural details oitAthis .membf it) are not described herein, since any other lita clampingmeans may be employed to il?4 diaphragms to the ring 39 and nime astrong' gas-tight tit therewith. z

The ports 'formed in cach valve by the rccesses SM-,lQ and Qmlfi are oitthe saine area asf the cylinder `inlet ports lil, and the valve chamber3 is provided ih ret-.estres fl-l" ol the same area as ports 1Vl.

` The engine block l provided with the usual gas inlet port 42, theexhaust ports and screw-threaded apertures adapted to receive the usualspark plugs45.

The diaphragms 2l and 3l arelied at their centers only to the arms i8ant 28 and are termed so that they normally tend to separate said armsso as to orcethe cylindrical sections' and 16 4of the rotaryvalve intoclose rotary litI against the cylindrica1 Wall oi valve chamber. Thiscondition oi. the valve is l shown in Fig. 2, Where the valve ispositioned to permit the 'flow oi gas into the Vcylinder 2, at theintaliesexhaust stroke ot the piston. Y

l/Vlien the valveis rotated at ninety degrees to the position shown inFig. 2, the exhaust ports 43 are closed and the piston is on itscomessionslirino' stroke. 'lhe com )ressed Oas l. t9 Y C still furtherand thereby, through arms i8 and 28, 'to :torce the valve sections and1G into still closer. Contact with the Wall ojfvcharnber 3. The recessesfil then serve to balance the pressures on opposite sides oi the valve.

It will be obvious that when the valve is positioned at the comp1 sionstroke o'l' the pister., the parts thereof will be separai'led under atorce directly proportionalvto the compression in the cylinder. v

Figs. ll, 5, and G illustrate the application of this invention Vto a'four-cycle engine. llore the valve 4:5 is ,split lengthwise and its twohalves Gand L7 are secured to each other by y diaphragme i8 and All)secured to each other and to their respective halves i6 and ii7 by asplit ring a9 in substantially the same manner as that illustrated inFigs. l, 2, and 3.

ln this torni olf the invention the gas inlet 50ris alined with theoutlet5l'; and in order to arcuate strap 53 ci a Width suiiicient toclose said bore is suitably lixed inthe inlet and in Contact with saidvalve.

Another modil'ieation or" this invention Ais shown in l? T. ln thisform, the valve split into halves lfand 55 and these halves are providedat their centers with cylindrical recesses 56 and 5" peetively. rtherecess 5G serves as a'sozit ior the correspondingly .s pecl projection58 formed centrally on the 'l r 59 which extends with a sliding it rossboth halves 511- and 55 in suitably boxed ont parts (not shown) in saidhalves.

il piston 60 having a dished head 6l lits 'slidably within said cylinder59 and has a -on position, and there. Y

by to nforce the valve halves into gas tight con- 'tact with the Wall ofthe valve chamber. lt will be obvious that gas under compressionentering the here Will pass between the dial ed head (l andthe adjacentllat head ot the, cylinder 59 and vvill ilorce these members apart indirect proportion to the force of gas l comp ession y Y lt Will be notedthat in all forms of the invention the valves are split in halves, andmeans are interposed betweenthese halves to ecp them normally in springcontact with the valve chamber Wall, and, inaddition to this means, thevalve mechanism is so constructed as to utilize the compression of thegasl to increase the contact pressure oi vtlievalves With the wall ofthe valve chamber. For etlicient operation ot' this type of valve, theeii'ective pressure area ol the diaphragins, or their equivalent shownin Fig. 7, should be aboutl 'twice the. area of the port opening intothe cylinder. i

ln the modification shown in Fig. 8 the diaphragnis` 66 and (S7 havetheir peripheries bent over the circular seat ,flanges 2l and 30 outeredges oy means of the rings 68 and 69,'V

respectively, which may be shrunk or Welded on, or otherwise suitablysecured to said flanges. l y

These diaphragms are arranged to Contact normally at their centers andto keep the valve sections l and 8 normally in close lit with thecylindrical Wall oil the valve chamber. i y y Y In the modiiicationshown in Fig. 9 a sin-V gle diaphragm TOVis used to separate thetwohalves et' the valve, of which the supporting arms 18 and 28 only areshown. The, diaier phragm has its center punched and countersunk to besecured at its center to the arm 28 by a screw 25 and has its peripheryse cured to the outer edge oi flange 2l by a ring 68. j

T he arms 18 and 28 are provided with the bores 26 and 34 and the screwQ4 with the bore 33. The operation of this form of the invention and ofthat shown in Fig. 8, will be obvious from inspection of the drawing andfrom the description 03": the preceding forms et the invention.

In the modification shown in Fig. l0, the valve comprises a central body7l and similar segments 72 arranged one on each side of said body 7l.Each segment similarly dished on its iiat face and has a central bore 73 therethrough, and a diaphragm 74 is secured in any suitable manner atits outer periphery to the flat face oi' the segment over the dishedpart thereof. As usual the diaphragme are slightly bowed to contact attheir centers with the flat faces of body 7l, and normally tend toseparate segments 72 vfrom body 7l to ensure a snug t ot the valve inits chamber.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. ll, the valve body 7 5 isaxially bored to receive the cylindrical members 76 each of which isprovided with axial bores 77 screwthreaded at the inner fiat end 7 8 toreceive the axially bored screw 79. The bore 77 is countersunk toreceive the countersunk center of the diaphragm 80 and the head of screw79. The two diaphragme 80 are spaced apart at their peripheries and areclamped together by a ring Sl substantially in the same manner as shownin Fig. l. As will be obvious from the drawing, the diaphragms in thismodification are wholly concealed in the valve body 75.

The operation of the modiiication shown in Figs. l() and ll issubstantially as in the previously described form of the invention.

I claim:

l. The combination with a cylindrical valve chamber of a cylindricalvalve rotatable therein, said valve being formed o'l' two similarhalves, and means between said halves to torce them into yielding`contact with the wall of said chamber.

2. The combination with a cylindrical valve chamber of a cylindricalvalve rotatable therein, said valve being formed of two halves similarin every respect, and spring mechanism interposed between said halves toforce them into yielding rotary contact with the wall of said chamber.

8. The combination with a cylindrical valve chamber of a cylindricalvalve rotatable therein, said valve being formed oit' two halves similarin every respect, a circular spring diaphragm having its center fixed toeach halt' at the center thereof, and means for securing the circularedges of said diaphragms to each other, said diaphragms being shaped toeiect separation of said halves and to force them into yielding contactwitl the wall of said chamber.

4. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder acylindrical valve chamber having a port communicating with saidcylinder, a cylindrical valve rotatable in said chamber, said valvecomprising two segments slightly spaced apart, yielding means interposedbetween said segments to force them normally into Contact with the wallof said chamber, said segments and means being provided with alinedbores to permit gas from said cylinder to enter the space between saidsegments when said bores register with said port.

5. In combination with a cylinder, a cylindrical valve chamber having aport communicating with said cylinder, a cylindrical valve rotatable insaid chamber said valve being divided into two parts, a pair of circularspringdiaphragms iXed at their center to each part and having theircircular edges spaced apart from and iiXed to each other, said parts anddiaphragms being provided with alined bores to permit gas to enter thespace between said diaphragme when the said bores communicate with saidport.

6. In combination with a cylinder, a cylindrical valve chamber having aport communicating with said cylinder, a cylindrical valve rotatable insaid chamber, said valve comprising two similar parts, yielding meansinterposed between said parts to keep them normally spaced apart and inContact with the wall of said chamber, said parts and means beingprovided with alinedbores to permit gas from said cylinder to enter thespace between said parts when the bores communicate with said port, saidchamber having a recess of the same cross-sectional area as said port toprovide for balance of gas pressure on the valve parts when said borescommunicate with said port.

7. The combination with an engine cylinder having a valve seat and aport between said seat and cylinder, a valve controlling said port, saidvalve including two parts, and means interposed between said parts andadapted to be exposed to the internal pressure in the cylinder to movesaid parts to contact tightly with said seat.

8. The combination with an engine cylinder having a bore forming a valveseat, a valve fitting rotatably in said seat and com prising two parts,a pair of spaced apart diaphragms connected at their edges to each otherand to said parts at their centers, said diaphragms and parts beingbored to expose the adjacent faces of said diaphragms to internalpressure in cylinder to force said parts into tight contact with saidseat.

9. The combination with an engine cylinder having a valve seat and aport between said seat and cylinder, a valve controlling said port, saidvalve including two parts,

and means including` a yspring diaphragm interposed between saidpzuztsland adapted t0 be exposed to the internal pitessure in the cylinder tomove said parts fao ,Contact ,tightly with Said seat.

110. The combination with an engine ,cylinder having a bore forming avalve sea-tf, 'a valve rittng Arotatably in said seat and comprising acentral body., `ai. rg'pair of simile;1 vSegments disposed -a't oppositesides 1of said body 10 and having bores `through the center thereof, and.diaphragins secured to said segment and normally engaged insaid body toforce said segments-against Said Seat. ,y

In testimony whereof I afiX my signature.

